Warea sessilifolia Nash

Sessile Leaf Pineland Cress; Sessile Leaf Warea

Herb

Annual

Vascular

Sessile Leaf Warea is a native herbaceous annual in the Mustard family (Brassicaceae). It is native to the southern third of Alabama. Sessile Leaf Warea occurs in dry Longleaf Pine woods, in scrub oak woods, and in sand hills. It is an annual with a tap root. The stem is 1-4 feet in height, green or reddish in color, and glabrous. The stem is branched above the middle. Leaves are alternate, sessile, ovate to lanceolate in outline, with entire margins. The leaves are angled nearly vertical and are glabrous. Flowers are produced in terminal racemes. Each flower has 4 obovate to orbicular petals that are pink or purple in color, and long exserted stamens. The fruit is a curved silique with numerous, small, tan seed. Sessile Leaf Warea is listed as a S1 species in Alabama (typically 5 or fewer occurrences, very few remaining individuals, acres, or miles of stream, or some factor of its biology making it especially vulnerable in the state), and globally as a G3 species (imperiled globally because of rarity (6 - 20 occurrences, or few remaining acres, or miles of stream) or very vulnerable to extinction throughout its range because of other factors). Sessile Leaf Warea requires mechanical disturbance of the soil or fire to provide the conditions necessary for germination.--A. Diamond

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Native S1 (State Rank) G3 (Global Rank)

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